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Post Kabaddi, Ronnie Screwvala owned U Sports forays into football
MUMBAI: After owning the Kabaddi franchise U-Mumba, in the first edition of the Pro Kabaddi League, Ronnie Screwvala owned U Sports, which is the sport division arm of Unilazer Ventures, has now forayed into another sports playground- football.
The company owned by Screwvala has launched a football training and academic programme ‘U-Dream’, to help develop Indian football players who are promising enough to place India on the professional football circuit. With collaborative guidance of Bundesliga, U Sports has partnered with TSG 1889 Hoffenheim for the first edition of U-Dream football.
The programme plans to encourage participation from talented football players of 13 or 14 years of age, in the first year where the focus is to transform young talent into a pro-team of Under-17 footballers. However, the search will widen to Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 categories from the year 2016 onwards.
According to U Sports CEO Supratik Sen with over 20,000 football players across the globe earning more than $ 1 million a year, suggests that there are very few careers as exceptional as a professional footballers.
“Our alliance will set the ball rolling as it will help build a strong talent pool that will compete in the developed and evolved football market. The programme will also equip players with education and infrastructure support hence taking them closer to their dream of becoming a pro player. We hope to reach out to the finest Under-17 football talent who will represent India in Under-17 World Cup in 2017,” he added.
The programme will start with talent selection tournaments conducted between January and April 2015, across 50 cities which will see participation from 1000 schools. By the year 2016, the programme aims to deepen its reach by widening the search to 100 cities, registering participation from 2,000 schools. There will be an expert judging panel comprising project advisor Subrata Paul, chief of training Mahesh Gawli, and TSG Hoffenheim international advisor Lutz Pfannenstiel who will oversee the selection process to identify the players who will be sent to Germany for the six year residential programme. A team of five Indian coaches and three German coach/ scouts will closely monitor the tournaments in each city.
This year, only 30 footballers identified from a talent hunt will be sent to Zuzenhausen, in Germany where they will train at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s youth training academy with complete access to the club’s facilities and world-class infrastructure.
To ensure there is an equal focus on the young footballer’s academic development along with football training, U Sports has decided to collaborate with Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai. Founded by the government of Haryana, its primary objective is to provide education facilities with equal emphasis on sports to deserving students. The school will conduct a 10-day schooling camp for the 30 athlete students and their parents at the school campus prior to their departure where they will be briefed on the curriculum, course structure and programme tutors.
The 30 student athletes will undergo CBSE education coupled with German language training in the first year of the programme. In the second year, they will have an option to continue with CBSE schooling or apply for admission in the German Public Education system. The programme will also offer counseling to the players to help them decide on the course of action if they wish to opt for German education.
Hoffenheim head of match operations and first team administration Thomas Richter, who is also responsible for the club’s internationalization said, “Talent development at the grass-root level is paramount in Bundesliga and is the key in placing India in the international football circuit as this can serve as an opportunity to produce the finest football talent from the country, who are groomed from a young age.”
The programme is open to all school children of 13 or 14 years of age. Bonafide students born on or after 1 January 2000 but on or before 31 December 2001 can apply.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
